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Trip of a Lifetime'
Lots of kids get a chance to come to Washington, D.C., with their classmates or families, but Kenny Sauther's trip this spring was truly unforgettable.
"My trip to Washington, D.C., with my dad was a trip of a lifetime," says Kenny, who is from the small city of Lebanon, Ore., and just turned 14 years old. "We met senators and members of Congress from many different states, and the president of CWA, Morton Bahr."
Kenny flew across the country to attend CWA's Legislative-Political Conference with his father, Ken Sauther, president of CWA Local 7906 in Oregon. He went to meetings on Capitol Hill, attended a union rally and listened to a parade of speakers from the U.S. House and Senate. He'll never forget Senator Ted Kennedy's energetic speech, bringing the crowd to its feet, cheering and applauding over and over.
"He never looked at any notes," Kenny said. "He was really speaking from his heart. He wasn't pre-programmed or reading something that someone else did. He was speaking his feelings and that was really cool."
One afternoon, Kenny went along for back-to-back meetings with five members of Oregon's congressional delegation. Representative Earl Blumenauer made it an extra-special day, inviting Kenny to come to the House floor.
"That was really awesome," Kenny said. "You're surrounded by all these important people who make our country's laws." He even got to join them for a vote on raising military wages, pushing Blumenauer's ballot through a slot where it was then counted electronically.
"When we were done on the floor, he showed me all the rooms where the general public isn't allowed," Kenny said. "I got to go into rooms for meetings like the Science Committee and the Intelligence Committee. In the Intelligence Committee room, everything is soundproof and they have to leave all cell phones and beepers at the front desk for security reasons."
On Kenny's last day in Washington, President Bahr invited him to his office at CWA headquarters, a few blocks from Capitol Hill.
"One thing President Bahr said to me that I will never forget is that you can't get anywhere without a good education," Kenny said. "On our way out he gave me a copy of his book ("From the Telegraph to the Internet") and autographed it. It says, 'To Kenny, with best wishes for your future success. In solidarity, Morty Bahr.' I will never forget that day."
"My trip to Washington, D.C., with my dad was a trip of a lifetime," says Kenny, who is from the small city of Lebanon, Ore., and just turned 14 years old. "We met senators and members of Congress from many different states, and the president of CWA, Morton Bahr."
Kenny flew across the country to attend CWA's Legislative-Political Conference with his father, Ken Sauther, president of CWA Local 7906 in Oregon. He went to meetings on Capitol Hill, attended a union rally and listened to a parade of speakers from the U.S. House and Senate. He'll never forget Senator Ted Kennedy's energetic speech, bringing the crowd to its feet, cheering and applauding over and over.
"He never looked at any notes," Kenny said. "He was really speaking from his heart. He wasn't pre-programmed or reading something that someone else did. He was speaking his feelings and that was really cool."
One afternoon, Kenny went along for back-to-back meetings with five members of Oregon's congressional delegation. Representative Earl Blumenauer made it an extra-special day, inviting Kenny to come to the House floor.
"That was really awesome," Kenny said. "You're surrounded by all these important people who make our country's laws." He even got to join them for a vote on raising military wages, pushing Blumenauer's ballot through a slot where it was then counted electronically.
"When we were done on the floor, he showed me all the rooms where the general public isn't allowed," Kenny said. "I got to go into rooms for meetings like the Science Committee and the Intelligence Committee. In the Intelligence Committee room, everything is soundproof and they have to leave all cell phones and beepers at the front desk for security reasons."
On Kenny's last day in Washington, President Bahr invited him to his office at CWA headquarters, a few blocks from Capitol Hill.
"One thing President Bahr said to me that I will never forget is that you can't get anywhere without a good education," Kenny said. "On our way out he gave me a copy of his book ("From the Telegraph to the Internet") and autographed it. It says, 'To Kenny, with best wishes for your future success. In solidarity, Morty Bahr.' I will never forget that day."